THE BIG LEBOWSKI is, to my knowledge, the greatest comedy ever filmed. My DVD copy will turn ten years old in 2014 and it must have around a hundred viewings to its track record. I know it's a little nutty, but that movie fascinates me. With every viewing, I discover new things, subtle details that reveal another comical angle to the storyline. What is the Coen brothers' secret? How has THE BIG LEBOWSKI risen to legendary status in an age of where comedy is sold as throwaway slapstick junk? I have asked myself that question for about a decade. Here are my humble observations.
If you're not familiar with the story, you have to know it's loosely (and I stress the term here) inspired from Raymond Chandler's classic novel THE BIG SLEEP. Unemployed, aging hippie Jeff ''The Dude'' Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) comes home to two goons who claim his wife is owing money to renowned pornographer Jackie Treehorn. In the process, one of the goons (going by the name of Wu) urinates on Lebowski's rug. Along with his best friend, war veteran Walter Sobchak (John Goodman), the dude finds out there's another Jeff Lebowski in town.. An old, bitter and very rich man with a crazy, ex-porn actress of a trophy wife (Tara Reid). Things get absolutely bonkers from here.
The first time I watched THE BIG LEBOWSKI, I didn't understand what the big deal was. I was unfamiliar with the lines and the self-reliant rhythm of the screenplay. But this is exactly why great humor grows funnier with familiarity. It feeds off your anticipation. That's why it gets funnier with another viewing, even funnier with friends and funnier still when you really feel like watching it. Last Saturday, I was laughing out loud during complete scenes at the time. Not only the narrative pace of THE BIG LEBOWSKI is studied, but the comedic timing also is. The toilet bowl scene with the two thugs at the beginning is a good example. There is a slow, almost lulling introduction that leads to a wacky action scenes with so many great details (the bowling ball on the doorframe, the glasses in the toilet, the spilled milk, etc.) By the way, did anybody recognize Jacob from LOST as the blonde thug?
''Your name is Lebowski, Lebowski. Your wife is Bunny.''
The comedic factor is also relying on well-studied cinematographic choices. In one scene, the Old Lebowski (David Huddleston) is making a pompous scene for The Dude , after Bunny's disappearance but nothing about the way it's filmed is pompous. There is opera playing in the background and the office has been meticulously arranged to look morose, but it is filmed in the most straightforward way. The following scene introduces Jesus Quintana (John Turturro) and uses every possible pompous cinema cliché. There are slow motion shots, music, even a dancing number. All of that serves to illustrate Quintana playing bowling through The Dude's bizarre view of the world. Bowling is what's really important to him, so he sees his enemy on a pedestal, this is so incongruous, narratively speaking, it's hilarious.
These are explainations I found about why the movie works so well, even after a hundred viewings. But does it explain why it's so beloved? Why do people that don't know one another can re-enact entire scenes of the movie on social media? I don't have an answer for that. There are still many mysteries that surround THE BIG LEBOWSKI. The writing has a major role in this success, of course. The lines have become integrant part of popular culture by now. The acting game has its part to play too. It goes from Goodman's slapstick to Julianne Moore, studied artsy fartsy silliness. Seriously, give it a viewing and focus on Maude's character. Moore is so damned crafty, it's a thing of beauty.
Unless the Coen bros. let me in on the source of their inspiration (that's unlikely!), I will never really get into the inner workings of THE BIG LEBOWSKI. I have learned a lot about this film, but I take comfort in still having so many questions about it. Some things are made to be enjoyed again and again without having to question yourself. Comedy is an art form. If you doubt that, watch THE BIG LEBOWSKI. It will break your will and make you laugh harder with every viewing.